Liberian Literary Magazine
“Yes”, for all her wriggling
and ducking, she's going to
be roasted in hell while I
kindle the fire, an I was all
the more elated as she was
quite unaware of my power
to mastermind her misery.
That evening when she
brought me my cover cloth
in the bad fence, I
reminded her about the
jewellery. “Arrangements
have been made for a
goldsmith to come here
and to the job.”
This was on Thursday
evening. While eating my
evening meal in the kongo,
Tene
came
and
sat
opposite me at the table.
She looked worried and
nervous. I asked her why.
“Kai, for the past few days
I have felt light in the head.
I can't concentrate on
anything. For what reason I
don't know. “
“Tene, many people get
like
that
sometimes.
Especially if they have
something on their mind.”
After the meal, Tene
collected the dishes and
disappeared
into
the
darkness. I closed the door
behind her and pulled my
bag from under the bed. I
poured its contents on the
table. There were the
earrings, the necklace and
wearing apparels I had
intercepted.
I dashed everything on
the floor, in a rage I rumpled
them under my feet, and to
defile them further, I spat on
them.
In the midst of my
desperation, I heard a
distant yell, “a ke-e ma o!”
A few minutes later, I
heard rapid footsteps in
front of the kongo. “Kai!
Promoting Liberian literature, Arts and Culture
Kai!” Tene yelled excitedly.
“Get up, sister Kema is
here!”
I
hurriedly
kicked
everything under the bed,
jumped into my pants, and
by the time I could get to
the door, Kema was
pushing it open. She gave
me a hug and nearly
pushed me over.
“Kai, how, you didn't
know I had come?”
I noticed Kema wore a
very loud perfume. She had
on a shiny light blue tie-dye
lappa suit with headtie and
shoes to match. She also
had
her
eyebrows
extended
by
artificial
means, and crowned a
front tooth with gold to
enhance her appearance.
She laughed on purpose to
enable people to see the
gold in her mouth.
Kema flopped on the bed
and kicked off her shoes.
“Kai, I am thirsty for
something to drink, what do
you have here?”
“Kema, unless I run to
Anima and see. They have
something good there to
drink.”
“Like what, Kai?”
“Cane
juice
and
imported schnapps. I will
see what I can pick up.”
I really hesitated leaving
Kema in my kongo. She
might be too inquisitive and
discover the things I had
intercepted.
When I got back from
Amina, I detected subdued
voices in my room. My mind
told me to press my ear
against the window so I
could hear what was being
said inside.
At one point I observed
Kema stretching her hand
15
out. “You mean the last
parcel I sent day before
yesterday
was
intercepted? Gosh!” Kema
expressed
excitedly.
“Whom do you suspect,
Tene?”
“Sister, only God knows. I
do not have the slightest
idea.” Tene's tone was
blank. “Since I got wind of it,
Kema I have not been
myself. I'm very nervous. My
head is light and have not
had any appetite.”
Kema looked puzzled.
“This deformed-nose Kai of
ours, what do you think of
him? I don't trust him. He is
like a wounded bushcow,
ready to jump for a kill any
moment. Tene, I don't know
if the old people ever told
you. Kai's father was a
shiftless fellow and liked to
roam about. His in-laws,
that is Kai's maternal
grandfather and mother,
got into some big trouble
once. Rather than suffer
humiliation, they sold the
poor fellow across the Lofa
River and he has not been
heard from since. This is a
deep secret. Keep it under
the roof of your tongue.”
“Kema, there is a lot to
learn in this world isn't
there?”
“Perhaps, if you have
time.” The older sister
expressed gravely. “Are you
still making Kai feel that you
will marry him? Tene look
her, there is no need to sit
down in Bendabli and put
up pious face, talking
about marrying that boy or
man, I don't know what you
call him. You put your hand
in that, and you will remain
here to rot like the old
people. You see, sister, they